Teeeitoey



(No Model.)

G. W. JOY.

GONG ENTRATOR.

Patented Mar. 8, 18 87.

N. PETERS Plwtolilhngmphcr, Washington. D. c.

. dept-h.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE \VILBERN JOY, OF ATLANTA, IDAHO TERRITORY.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,020, dated March 8, 1887.

Application filed May 17, 1836. Serial No. 202,473. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENCE WVILBERN JOY, of Atlanta, county of Alturas, Territory of Idaho, have invented an Improvement in Concentrators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a device for saving quicksilver, the fine particles ofamalgarmgold, or other precious or valuable metals,and it may be used as a supplement to batteries, amalgamated plates, amalgamators, concentrators, or other appliances that are used in catching precious metals which are found in gravel, battery, or other sand, and which would otherwise be lost. It is also useful as a separate apparatus, complete in itself, for catching flour or other gold, gold and silver amalgam, quicksilver, or other precious or valuable metals.

It consists of an oblong or oval pan of any required or suitable depth having the ends and sides curved, so as to present a concave face toward the interior of the pan, a depression or basin in the center, a discharge board and adjustable gate in connection therewith, and a pipe or passage by which the ma terial is introduced into the pan.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a view of my apparatus. Fig. 2 shows it suspended and with a means for producing an oscillating motion. Fig. 3 is'a vertical cross-section of pan.

A is the pan, which is of an oblong or oval shape, having a considerably greater length than diameter and a comparatively shallow The sides and ends of this device are made convex upon the outside, the interior being concave both at sides and ends and showing in section a segment of a circle. The bottom of the pan is made with a depression or basin, B, which contains quicksilver. From this central depression the bottom slopes gradually upward and outward, so as to unite with the concave sides before described. In the center of the bottom is an opening, through which the feed-pipe O is led, and through which dirt, gravel, battery, or other sands or pulp are forced into and through the quicksilver in the basin at the bottom of the pan by gravitation, the head of the pipe being sufficiently above the basin to produce the necessary force and cause the material to pass into it.

D is a discharge-board, which is made convex or roof-shaped, as shown, the one side inclining upward from the inner side of the pan and the other declining outward again from the apex. This convex shape serves to prevent the loss of any quicksilver, amalgam, or fine particles which may be temporarily held by hard particles of pulp or clay and become thrown upon the discharge-board. The incline is such that it will tend to throw these particles back into the quicksilver bowl or basin, where they will amalgamate and remain, instead of being thrown directly out of the pan.

The discharge-board has a beveled groove, (2, formed or cut beneath it at the point of commencement where it joins the pan. This groove continues at each side beyond the sides of the discharge-opening, so as to present a smooth surface without any shoulder or projection to stop the mercury, thus allowing it to be propelled to either end of the pan by the motion of the machine without breaking it up into small globules. There is a gradual slope downward from this groove conforming withthe bottom of the pan, and this construction prevents the mercury from ascending easily upon the discharge-board. Across the opening in the side of the pan which connects with this discharge-board is an adjustable gate, E, which slides up and down in guides, or it may have holes or perforations which will receive pins or bolts passing through them, so that it may be raised or depressed and allow any desired flow through it and over the dischargeboard.

When used in connection with an ordinary concentrator, this device may be firmly fixed to a distributer on the concentrator, and in such a position that the pulp will pass through this pan, and thence through and over the distributer. In other cases the pan may be suspended by links F, or in any other suitable manner, and may have a pitman or connecting rod, G, one end of which is connected with one end of the pan and the other with a cam eccentric or crank, by which an oscillating motion may be conveyed to the pan. .In this case the feed-pipe which delivers the material through the bottom of the quicksilverbowl may have a portion of its length made flexible, so that it can partake of the motion of the pan without disturbing the receiving end, which may be fixed. In the present case I have shown this pipe as opening into the U- shaped curve, having at the bottom of the curve, or near the first elbow from the pan, a faucet or discharge-openin g, through which the material in the pipe may be removed at any time, this device being provided with a look, by which it is secured. A pipe is connected with this inlet-pipe for the introduction of clear water to clear the pipe to assist in injecting the pulp, if necessary.

The top of the pan has a rim or flange extending upward around the pan, with any suitable or desired height or bevel, to prevent the water or pulp from slopping over, and it is provided with a cover, which may havehinges, staples, or lugs engaging similar devices upon the back of the pan, so that when the cover is closed and locked over the front, by apadlock or other means, the rear portion will also be held in place, the whole being thus made burglar proof; but the cover may be removed when unlocked, if desired.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Material, being delivered into the fecd-pipe from the hopper, pan, sluice, or other source of supply, passes down into the curved pipe, rising up by gravitation through the central opening, and through the mercury in the bowl at the bottom of the pan. The end motion of the pan produces a current which follows the two concave sides. The waves striking into the curved ends will be thrown backward, and following these curves will be brought over, and as they leave the upper edge of the pan will be brought back in a curved shape, tending downward-through the center of the pan. The effect of this movement is to retain the water and pulp inside the pan and to cause it to be thrown backward toward the center, where any Valuable particles will be amalgamated with the mercury contained in the bowl. The water and surplus, after undergoing this action, will escape beneath the gate and over the convex discharge-board, as before described. The contents of the basin may be drawn off through the dischargecock from time to time, as before described.

I am aware that oblong pans have been used in concentrating and amalgamating ores, and

that pans having incli ned or concave sides have been heretofore used. These constructions I therefore do not. broadly claim as my inven tion, as in my device the pan has a central depression for holding or retaining the mercury, the sides and ends inclining upward and outward from this central depression, so that as the motion of the vessel or pan throws the water backward and upward from end to end it creates waves which flow toward either end until their horizontal course is checked at the center of the pan by the small waves formed by the oval sides coming together.

I am aware that oblong and oval pans for treating ores, having sides and ends made concave or semicircular, with inclined bottoms having an oscillating or reciprocating motion, are not new, and I do not claim such, broadly, as my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. The oblong or oval pan having concave or semicircular sides and ends, inclined bottom, and a central depression or bowl for mercnry, the inlet-pipe opening into the center of the bottom of said bowl, in combination with the inclined discharge-board connected with one side of the pan, substantially as herein described.

2. The oblong or oval pan having concave or semicircular sides or ends, inclined bottom, a central bowl or depression for containing mercury, an inlet-pipe opening into the center of the bottom of said bowl, and the inclined discharge board opening outwardly from the side of the pan, in combination with the movable or adjustable gate standing across the opening of said discharge-board, substan tially as described.

8. The oblong or oval pan with concave sides and ends, a central bowl or depression and inlet-pipe, inclined discharge-board, and adjustable gate standing across the dischargeopening, in combination with a cover fitting over the top of the pan, and means for locking the same to retain and protect its contents, substantially as herein described.

I11 witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARENCE XVILBERN JOY. lVitnesses:

MEL. CAMPBELL, G. XV. FLETCHER. 

